By Philip Yatai

Old students of the College of Advance Studies (CAS), Zaria, who graduated in 1984, has urged the Federal Government to embark on massive recruitment of security personnel.

The objective of the call, according to the old students, in a communique signed by Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Mr Francis Kozah at the end of its 4th Annual Lecture and Lunch, is to boost the security of lives and properties as well as to reduce unemployment.

They also said that the call is aimed at positioning Nigeria to meet the UN security ratio of one security officer to 450 citizens,

The annual lecture, which took place at the NAF Conference Centre and Suites, Abuja, had the theme, “Nigeria’s Security at Crossroads: Navigating the Way Out.”

The group also called on the government to train, retrain and motivate security personnel in all security agencies.

They also advised that community policing, under the control of traditional rulers, should be introduced and adequately funded by all levels of government to secure lives and properties and reduce unemployment.

They noted that insecurity had reached an unacceptable proportion in the past 10 years, with persistent loss of many lives and properties and a general feeling of insecurity among citizens.

They, however, argued that relative peace is gradually returning in the country under President Bola Tinubu-led administration.

“As such, government body language on insecurity should send out a strong and clear message that criminal activities or actions in all ramifications shall not be tolerated.

“All perpetrators of crimes shall be arrested, prosecuted, and if found guilty, punished under law, no matter how lowly or highly placed, to serve as deterrence to others.

“Government, religious leaders, and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) should mobilise and sensitise citizens not to see perpetrators of crimes as people of a particular tribe or religion.

“They should see and treat them as the criminals that they are since no tribe or religion is devoid of criminal elements,” they said.

The group further called on the government at all levels to resettle all victims of insecurity across the country through the reconstruction of their burnt houses or properties, among other supports.

They also called on the government at all levels to make schools functional and very attractive to school-age children to adequately prepare them for a profitable future and keep them away from crime.

The group also called on the Kaduna State Government to restore CAS as an autonomous college to run courses for Interim Joint Matriculation Board examination for direct entry into universities.

They added that the college should also be given the mandate to run a General Certificate for Education (GCE) make-up programme for deficient students in the state, among others.

The old students also advised that all IJMB courses in all institutions in Kaduna state be transferred to CAS, Zaria.

They equally urged the government at all levels to ensure that public health facilities function optimally, easily accessible, and affordable to all citizens.

“The government should also boost power and agriculture to strengthen self-employment and boost the economy, thus reducing unemployment and insecurity.

“The government should equally check the excesses of some religious leaders,” the old students said in the communique.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, served as the keynote speaker at the event, while the guest speaker, Gov. Dikko Radda of Katsina State, was represented by Prof. Abdulhamid Ahmed, Commissioner for Higher, Technical and Vocational Education. (NAN)

Edited by Emmanuel Yashim

By Femi Ogunshola

The Ministry of Defence intends to use its 2023 supplementary budget and part of its 2024 budget to end insurgency and terrorism simultaneously, the minister, Alhaji Abubakar Badaru, said in Abuja on Wednesday.

“The purpose of the 2023 additional budget is to have simultaneous operations in all our theatres so we can end insecurity at once,’’ Badaru said.

He made the declarations while defending the ministry’s budget at a joint sitting of the Senate and House of Representatives committees on defence.

He said the ministry was determined to ensure that terrorists rooted from one location did not go to another to continue their heinous activities.

Badaru said he believed that the Federal Government would end the war, but would not disclose its strategies openly.

He commended the committees for always assisting the ministry in its resolve to end insecurity.

The minister noted that the ministry’s N78.58 billion appropriation for 2024 was higher than the N62.9 billion appropriation for 2023, and commended the National Assembly for its commitment to end insecurity.

He, however, called for an upward review of overhead costs in the 2024 budget in view of inflation and rising cost of diesel.

“We want you to help us to increase our overhead cost. We consume a lot of fuel, and I appeal that this be looked into,’’ he said.

In his submission, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Defence, Sen. Ahmad Lawan, said the joint committee would work assiduously to scrutinise the ministry’s 2024 proposal.

He noted that security remained the backbone for education, the economy, and others to function, adding that more resources should be given to defence to handle insecurity.

Lawan noted also that it was not enough to approve money, but it was paramount to establish how such monies changed the situation.

“If you are given N100 billion; how has it improved the security situation in the country? he queried.

“It will not augur well to appropriate money without justification,’’ he stressed.

The former Senate president commended security agencies for working hard to secure the country.

In his contribution, Rep. Babajimi Benson, Chairman of the House Committee on Defence, said the National Assembly would continue to make efforts to invest in security to ensure the growth and development of the country.

He said President Bola Tinubu had promised to ensure the security of all Nigerians irrespective of status, adding, “you must work to deliver the goal of the administration.’’

He assured that the committee would ensure that all allocated resources added value, adding that lawmakers were not unaware of the challenges faced by armed forces, including the recent bombing in Kaduna.

He promised that the committees would ensure adequate funding within available resources to respond to the desires of the military. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Alli Hakeem

By Isaac Aregbesola

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared former Minister of Power and Steel Olu Agunloye wanted over alleged corruption and forgery.

The Commission made the announcement in a public notice signed by its Spokesperson Dele Oyewale, and posted on the agency’s official  Facebook and Instagram channels on Wednesday.

“The public is hereby notified that Dr Olu Agunloye, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of corruption and forgery.

“Dr U Agunloye is wanted by the EFCC. If you know his whereabouts please don’t hesitate to inform the EFCC or the nearest police station,” it stated.

According to the commission, Agunloye, aged 75, is from Akoko North  Local Government Area of Ondo State.

It also gave his last known address as No 20 Solel Boneh Way Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The EFCC urged anyone with useful information on his whereabouts to contact its offices in Benin, Kaduna, Ibadan, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Makurdi, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Uyo, Port Harcourt and Abuja, or through its telephone lines and email.

The commission had earlier invited Agunloye for questioning over his role in the six billion dollars Mambila hydropower contract.

Recall that former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo had accused Agunloye of mismanaging the power project during his tenure from 1999 to 2003 and failed to brief him on the state of the project.

Agunloye, however, denied the allegations stressing that the nature of the initial contract for the project was awarded as a Build, Operate and Transfer contract in May 2003 under his watch.

In a related development, the commission also declared one Iluyomade Akinwale wanted for allegedly obtaining money under false pretence.

Iluyomade, 39, whose last address is No.3, Chevron Drive, Lekki Lagos, hails from Ondo East Local Government Area.

It urged anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts to report to the nearest EFCC office or police station. (NAN) www.nannews.ng

Edited by Auwalu Birnin Kudu/Maharazu Ahmed

By Florence Onuegbu

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State says his government will donate 300 new vehicles to security agencies to boost their operations in the state.

Sanwo-Olu said this on Tuesday at Victoria Island, during the 17th Annual Town Hall Meeting On Security, with the theme: ”Security Complexities and Convergence: The Lagos State Imperatives”.

He said that the donation would be made by January 2024, to ensure that the Police and other security agencies performed their duties with ease.

The governor said that there were challenges with security but with the efforts of donors to the Lagos State Security Task Force (LSSTF), Lagos State remained the most secured state in the country.

He announced that donors pledged almost N2 billion to the fund at the event, with business mogul, Femi Otedola, pledging N1 billion.

On the death of Oladimeji Aloba, better known as Mohbad, Sanwo-Olu said that the police were doing everything possible to ensure justice was done and served.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, said that the influx of people from other parts of the country to Lagos State posed security threat.

Egbetokun, who was represented by Assistant Inspector-General Zone 2, Mr Muhammad Alli, commended the state government on efforts at ensuring a safe Lagos.

Speaking earlier, the Chairman, LSETF, Mr Kehinde Durosinmi-Etti, said that since inception, the fund had received encouragement from the public on the effectiveness of fund and the need to do more to combat the ever-growing security threats in the country, as they affect Lagos State.

Durosinmi-Etti said: “On the whole, 2023 had not been a great year for the fund, even though the total donations surpassed that of 2022 by over 100 per cent.”

He said that the challenges faced by the fund in 2022 were still very much experienced in 2023.

According to him, the unstable economic climate, largely influenced by increasing foreign exchange rates, has been a major challenge to fundraising.

“KPMG predicted that General inflation in Nigeria may hit 30 per cent in December 2023, meaning that the purchasing power of the Naira is still falling an so the fund would purchase less with more money.

“This makes the donation drive even more pertinent for us especially as there is no alternative to our collective funding model, given the indication that the government cannot do it alone.

“The state is contending with several security threats which are clear and present dangers to our ability as citizens to carry out our various legitimate activities unhindered.

“I cannot overemphasise the fact that we must join hands to raise our security preparedness, so we can secure the future of our loved ones. We must make the necessary sacrifice now as tomorrow may be too late,” he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Vincent Obi

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Commandant, National Defence College (NDC), Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, says the college is committed to advancing gender equality and inclusiveness to ensure responsive security operations.

Olotu made the commitment at the commencement of a train the trainer workshop on Gender Training Manual for security sector academies and training institutions, on Monday in Abuja.

The training was put together by the  Centre for Strategic Research and Studies of the college.

Represented by Dr Danladi Bot, Head of Area and Regional Studies department, Olotu said the workshop was part of Phase II of the UN Women project.

The project is meant to enhance gender responsive security operations and community dialogue in line with evolving security landscape and imperatives, as outlined in the UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

“It underscores the vital role of gender equality, protection of women and girls in conflict and their active participation in conflict prevention, resolution and building.

“As part of our commitment to mainstreaming gender in all security sector institutions, it has become imperative to empower trainers with the knowledge and tools essential for integrating gender perspectives in the training curriculum of our security sector institutions.

“The aim is to implement gender sensitive training using the standardised gender training manual for trainers across selected security training institutions including the Nigerian army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Police Force, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

“This initiative aligns with our commitment to not only fulfil the provisions of UN legislation but also to evaluate and enhance existing training curricula to address gender gaps,” he said.

The commandant said the ultimate goal of the training was to empower selected security sector trainers to understand gender perspectives from the UN standardised gender training manual, and promote gender sensitivity across all operational levels.

He commended the UN Women and the Government of Germany for funding the project, and assured that the college was committed to playing major roles in addressing security issues at both national and regional levels in line with its mandate. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed